This book was used at Beech House Schoolto teach children how to read.

Simple pictures and texthelped children to learn new words. The 'Janet and John' books show an idealised view of life in a white, middle class home.

What words and ideas would children have learnt from reading this book?

Kitty Burton

0 mins 0 secs

Kitty Burton

Kitty explains the way that she taught children to read:

"We used Janet and John as our basic reader. When the children first came to school we started to teach them to read by showing them a large picture of Janet and John and talking about them. For instance we talked about the colour of Janet's dress and John's pullover.

Then we would count the girls in the class with blue dressesor the boys with red pullovers. Then I would say 'This little girl has a name, I wonder what it is?' The children would make suggestions. Then I would say 'This girl's name is Janet'. I would write 'THIS IS JANET' under the picture.

In this way the children had a little colour matching, a little counting, a little reading and a lot of conversation.

We would do the same with the pictures of John, and ask 'What's he doing? I think he is helping his daddy. Do any of you help your daddy and mummy?'

We would talk about each picture and I would tell them a story about it, encouraging the children to be imaginative, and gradually introducing the reading applicable to each one. We would play word games, such as musical flash cards."

"The children would pass flash cards around to music. When the music stopped, if the children could read the word on their card, they would be rewarded with a Smartie."

I never had less than forty children in any of my classes. The children were never bored and some of them went home and taught their parents to read.

Having all the degrees in the world won't make a teacher. Teaching is a gift. A teacher has to be able to impart knowledge

and make the children want to learn."

Teaching and learning in the 1950s

Kitty's story and the book, help us find out how children were taught in school. We can also begin to understand the different ideas and values which people had in the 1950s.

Today, this view of life in the 1950s might seem narrow and old fashioned. This is partly because of the way we view the 1950s compared to today. However, the book's design, and some of the teaching methods Kitty describes, could still be used now.

Find out more

To find out more about the modern
Version of the Janet and John series
Published in 2001
Visit the BBC news - education website